Horses for Courses: Sanderson Farms Championship
6 Min Read
All-time shots at THE NORTHERN TRUST
The Country Club of Jackson opens its doors for the eighth consecutive year to host the Sanderson Farms Championship.
A stop-start beginning to the 2022 season has begun again! After taking a week off following the Fortinet Championship to enjoy the Ryder Cup, the PGATOUR is back to work in Jackson, Mississippi. The field of 144 will welcome back 2020 champion Sergio Garcia as he looks to become the first player to defend his title since the event moved here in 2014.
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The Country Club of Jackson was redesigned by John Faught (Detroit Golf Club) in 2008 and emulates a classic Donald Ross feel around the grounds, especially on the greens. The Champion Bermuda greens are quite slick, running between 12 and 13 feet. The putting surfaces will challenge especially inside of 10 feet as the course has one of the highest 3-Putt percentages on TOUR. Rolling the rock will be a major concern this week. Or hit 60 of 72 like Garcia did and take your chances!
Stretching to almost 7,500 yards playing Par-72, four Par-5 holes will provide relief as will only two inches of Bermuda/Zoysia rough. Greens are above average in size at 6,200 square feet so hitting them won't be a problem. Water is in play on just five holes and there are just 56 bunkers to avoid. CCofJ has ranked in the bottom half of easiest courses played the last three years and the average winning score here is almost 19 under since the first event in calendar 2014.
On the line is a purse of $7 million with the winner pocketing $1.26 million plus 500 FedExCup points. Also the winner is exempt for the rest of this season and the next two seasons. It's a huge bonus to lift the LARGE ROOSTER trophy this week!
Recent Event Winners Stats
| Season | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Calendar Year | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
| Winner | Sergio Garcia | Sebastian Munoz | Cameron Champ |
| Score | 269 (-19) | 270 (-18) | 267 (-21) |
| MOV | 1 | Playoff | 4 |
| Runner-Up | Peter Malnati | Sungjae Im | Corey Conners |
| Age | 39 | 26 | 23 |
| All Drives | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Accuracy | T14 | T36 | T65 |
| GIR | T1 | T9 | T9 |
| Ball-Striking | 1 | 5 | 14 |
| Proximity | 6 | T24 | 40 |
| Putting: Birdie or Better % | 12 | T15 | 1 |
| SG: Off-the-Tee | 1 | 4 | 2 |
| SG: Approach-the-Green | 3 | 20 | 21 |
| SG: Around-the-Green | 46 | 40 | 42 |
| SG: Putting | 28 | 5 | 2 |
| SG: Tee-to-Green | 1 | 13 | 9 |
| Scrambling | T29 | 7 | 55 |
| Bogey Avoidance | T3 | 1 | T14 |
| Par-3 Scoring | T7 | T37 | T2 |
| Par-4 Scoring | T4 | 3 | 7 |
| Par-5 Scoring | 7 | T5 | 1 |
Recent Winners
2020 - Sergio Garcia (-19, 269)
Stuffed it to three feet on the final hole and made the putt to avoid a playoff with 2016 season winner Peter Malnati. ... Co-led after 54 holes (-14). ... Closed 66-67. ... Sat five back after 36 and four back after 18. ... Overpowered and dissected Tee-to-Green. ... Hit 60 of 72 GIR. ... T2 with 22 birdies. ... Only player to post all four rounds in the 60s. ... ONLY winner outside of the top seven (28th) SG: Putting. ... Became first champion at the event who was NOT a first-time winner on TOUR. ... Third international winner and second consecutive. ... Picked up 11th victory in 368th start at age 40. ... Becomes fifth winner of seven to win in his first attempt at CCofJ. ... Entered the week MC-MC.
Notables in the field this week:
2015 winner Peter Malnati (2nd) closed with 63, tying the tournament course record and missed the playoff by a shot... JT Poston (3rd) backed up his T11 from 2019 with a share of the 54-hole lead. ... Keegan Bradley (T4) led by two after 36 holes thanks to a hot putter. ... Henrik Norlander (T4) circled three eagles for the week including two on Sunday when he posted 65. ... Cam Davis (T6), who won at Detroit Golf Club earlier this year, matched Malnati's 63 in Round 3 to also share the 54-hole lead. ... Charley Hoffman (T6) was one of four first round leaders to post 64. ... Denny McCarthy (T6) circled 22 birdies (T2) to pick up his second top 10 in three years. ... Tyler McCumber (T6) went close again after finishing second at Punta Cana the previous week. ... Scott Stallings (T6) shot 40 on the back in Round 2. ... Brandt Snedeker (T17) was one shot back after 54 holes and circled 22 birdies for the week. ... Defending champion Sebastian Munoz (T23) posted 64 in Round 1 before not breaking 70 the rest of the week. ... Top 27 players all 10-under or lower. ... 62 of 66 players to make the cut finished Even or better. ... Cut was 3-under. ... 26 bogey-free rounds. ... 71.080 scoring average, ranking 31st most difficult of 50 courses played 2020. ... The 2020 event followed Corales Punta Cana Club and Resort Championship.
2019 - Sebastian Munoz (-18, 270)
Defeated Sungjae Im with a par on the first playoff hole. ... Holed a 15-foot putt on the final hole to force playoff. ... 54-hole leader by one after tournament best 63 in Round 3. ... Sat five back after 36 holes and was six off the pace after 18. ... Only squared THREE bogeys for the week. ... First international winner since Nick Taylor in 2014. ... First win in his 47th start at age 26. ... Sixth consecutive first-time TOUR winner at CCofJ. ... Won in his third attempt.
Notables in the field this week:
Sungjae Im (P2) closed with 66 and was the only player to post all four rounds in the 60s. ... Carlos Ortiz (T4) played in the final group and was top 10 in both Fairways and GIR. ... Kevin Streelman (T4) raced home with 64 for his second top 10 in three years. ... Bronson Burgoon (T6) joined Sungjae Im with 24 birdies, most for the week. ... Dylan Frittelli (T6) hit the top 10 with two doubles on the card. ... JT Poston (T11) shared the first round lead with Tom Hoge (T39) on 64. ... Defending champion Cameron Champ did not enter. ... Top 27 players all 10-under or lower. ... 66 of 68 players to make the cut finished Even or better. ... Cut was 3-under. ... 31 bogey-free rounds. ... 70.787 scoring average, ranking 26st most difficult of 40 courses played 2019-20. ... The 2020 edition was the first time played as a stand-alone event on the calendar.
2018 - Cameron Champ (-21, 267 - not entered this week)
Led or co-led after every round. ... Birdied five of his last six holes to set the tournament scoring record. ... 28 birdies is also a record. ... Won by four shots. ... Posted 64, co-low round of the week in Round 3 to lead by four. ... Posted 12-under on Par-5 holes. ... Played the Back 9 in 16-under. ... Won on debut. ... First win on TOUR in his SECOND event with a TOUR card. ... Age 23 is the youngest winner. ... T25 in Napa Valley the week before.
Notables in the field this week:
Corey Conners (2nd) made only four bogeys and was top five in both Fairways and GIR. ... Sam Burns (T3) closed 66-68 and was T4 GIR. ... On Sunday Carlos Ortiz (T3) matched Conners and Champ with the low round of the week, 64. ... Denny McCarthy (T7) only needed 104 putts. ... Seth Reeves (T7) posted all four rounds at 70 or better. ... Adam Schenk (T7) only squared TWO bogeys for the week. ... Martin Laird (T7) circled 20 birdies. ... Defending champion Ryan Armour (T54) did not break 70. ... Top 24 players all 10-under or lower. ... 69 of 72 players to make the cut finished Even or better. ... Cut was 1-under. ... 21 bogey-free rounds. ... 71.246 scoring average, ranking 26st most difficult of 49 courses played 2019-20. ... The 2019 event was played opposite the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai and played in late October.
Key stat leaders
Top golfers in each statistic on the 2020-2021 PGA TOUR are listed only if they are scheduled to compete this week.
| Strokes Gained: Putting (2021 final rank) | Player |
| 2 | JT Poston |
| 5 | Zach Johnson |
| 8 | Brendon Todd |
| 9 | Sam Burns |
| 11 | Chesson Hadley |
| 16 | Cameron Tringale |
| 19 | Adam Hadwin |
| 22 | Denny McCarthy |
| 25 | Patton Kizzire |
| 31 | Brice Garnett |
| 34 | Lanto Griffin |
| 34 | Michael Gligic |
| 39 | Ryan Armour |
| 40 | Brandt Snedeker |
| 41 | Andrew Putnam |
| 43 | Charley Hoffman |
| 44 | Jimmy Walker |
| 48 | Austin Cook |
| 50 | Sungjae Im |
| Strokes Gained: Approach the Green | Player |
| 4 | Keegan Bradley |
| 7 | Will Zalatoris |
| 9 | Corey Conners |
| 11 | Matthew NeSmith |
| 12 | Emiliano Grillo |
| 16 | Charley Hoffman |
| 20 | Russell Knox |
| 21 | Doug Ghim |
| 22 | Chez Reavie |
| 26 | Harold Varner III |
| 27 | Henrik Norlander |
| 30 | Sam Burns |
| 31 | Matt Wallace |
| 33 | Kevin Streelman |
| 37 | Lanto Griffin |
| 38 | Seamus Power |
| 42 | Cameron Tringale |
| 44 | Aaron Wise |
| 46 | Scott Stallings |
| 47 | Matthew Wolff |
| Par-5 Scoring | Player |
| 7 | Sergio Garcia |
| 11 | Sam Burns |
| 11 | Will Zalatoris |
| 21 | Carlos Ortiz |
| 21 | Anirban Lahiri |
| 21 | Luke List |
| 30 | Sungjae Im |
| 30 | Patton Kizzire |
| 30 | Vince Whaley |
| 30 | Keegan Bradley |
| 35 | Kevin Tway |
| 35 | Cameron Tringale |
| 42 | Sepp Straka |
| 42 | Si Woo Kim |
| 42 | Matt Wallace |
| 42 | Aaron Wise |
| 42 | Seamus Power |
| 42 | Brandt Snedeker |
| 42 | Matthew Wolff |
| 51 | Matthew NeSmith |
| 51 | Corey Conners |
| 51 | Bill Haas |
| 51 | Patrick Rodgers |
| 51 | Hudson Swafford |
Horses for Courses
Top golfers entered this week and other exceptions
| Player (Starts/Cuts Made) | Top 10s | Top 25s | Most Recent (year) | Others |
| Sergio Garcia (1/1) | 1 | 1 | Win (2020) | All 4 rounds 68 or better; Only player 4 rounds 60s |
| Peter Malnati (5/6) | 2 | 2 | 2 (2020) | 2016 winner on debut |
| JT Poston (5/5) | 1 | 2 | 3 (2020) | T11 2019; 8 straight in the red |
| Kevin Streelman (3/5) | 2 | 3 | T4 (2020) | T10 2018, T18 2017 |
| Henrik Norlander (3/4) | 1 | 1 | T4 (2020) | MC, T39 others |
| Keegan Bradley (1/1) | 1 | 1 | T4 (2020) | Led after 36 holes after 66-65 |
| Denny McCarthy (3/4) | 2 | 3 | T6 (2020) | 38-under and 13 straight in the red |
| Charley Hoffman (3/3) | 1 | 3 | T6 (2020) | Trending; T23, T35; 64 in each of his last 2 here |
| Cam Davis (2/3) | 1 | 1 | T6 (2020) | T28, MC; 66 and 63 last year |
| Tyler McCumber (1/2) | 1 | 1 | T6 (2020) | All 4 rounds 70 or better |
| Sebastian Munoz (4/4) | 1 | 2 | Win (2019) | T23 2020 |
| Sungjae Im (2/3) | 1 | 1 | P2 (2019) | T28 2020; 27-under last 2 |
| Carlos Ortiz (2/3) | 2 | 2 | T4 (2019) | T3 2018; Posted 64, 65 and 65 here |
| Bronson Burgoon (2/4) | 1 | 2 | T6 (2019) | T20 2015; MC 2020 |
| Dylan Fritteli (2/3) | 1 | 1 | T6 (2019) | T54 debut 2018; MC 2020 |
| Corey Conners (3/4) | 1 | 2 | 2 (2018) | T17 2020; 10 straight 72 or better |
| Sam Burns (3/4) | 1 | 1 | T3 (2018) | 64 2019; T43 is other |
| Martin Laird (2/5) | 1 | 1 | T7 (2018) | T28-MC-T7 last 3 |
| Ryan Armour (3/6) | 1 | 1 | Win (2017) | T46 next best |
| Chesson Hadley (1/4) | 1 | 1 | 2 (2017) | MC other 3 |
| Brian Stuard (3/5) | 1 | 1 | T4 (2017) | T28 2019; only 2 of 16 rounds in 60s |
| Patton Kizzire (3/5) | 2 | 2 | T10 (2017) | T4 2015; T59 MC last 2 |
| Chris Kirk (3/4) | 1 | 1 | T2 (2016) | |
| Luke List (2/4) | 1 | 1 | T2 (2016) | T28 before; MC last 2 |
| Lucas Glover (4/6) | 1 | 3 | T5 (2016) | T14 2018; MC last 2 |
| Past Winners/Others | ||||
| Nick Taylor (4/6) | 1 | 3 | Win (2014) | followed T20, T23, T26; MC last 2 |
| Robert Streb (3/4) | 1 | 2 | 8 (2014) | T26 2018, T23 2019 |